Collapsible tube closure



B. E. MILLS COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CLOSURE March 3, 1936.

' Filed Nov. 25, 1932 A j: INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 3, 1936PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE Bert E. Mills, Seattle,

TUBE CLOSURE 1 Wash, assignor of forty per cent to Melvin E. Jepson,Reno, Nev.

Application November 25, 1932, Serial No. 644,361

Claims.

This invention relates to collapsible tube closures and its generalobject is to provide an automatic or self-closing cap that is opened bythe contents of the tube when pressure is applied thereto to eject thecontents therefrom and when the pressure is relieved the cap will close,with the result the cap not only overcomes the objectionable features ofa removable cap now in general use, but the contents of the tube areretained in a clean and sanitary condition at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible tube capthat is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, attractivein appearance, easy to assemble and extremely efficient in operation andservice.

This invention also consists in certain other features of constructionand in the combination I panying drawing and specifically pointed outin' the appended claims. I

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:-

Figure 1 illustrates one form of my invention applied to a collapsibletube with the valve in closed position.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view showing th valve in open position.

lljgure 3 is a front view of a cap applied to a tu Figure 4 is asectional view taken approximately on line 44 of Figure 2, looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the valve parts.

Figure 6 is a view illustrating a modified form of the invention withparts in section and in elevation,

Referring to the drawing in detail, the letter A indicates a collapsibletube of the type now in general use, and which includes the usualthreaded neck. In one form of my invention. the cap, which is in theform of a discharge nozzle, and is indicated by the reference numeral I,is provided with internal screw threads to be threadedly secured to theneck of the tube A as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing,and it will be noted that the cap is provided with a squared bore andhas arranged adjacent its threaded end an annular collar 2 that isserrated to provide a finger gripping surface for applying and removingthe cap with respect to the neck, as will be apparent.

The upper end of the cap is substantially flattened as at 3, and thisflattened portion extends downwardly but terminates adjacent to thecollar 2 as best shown in Figure 3. Disposed through the cap andarranged transversely of the flattened portion 3 is a slot 4 thatcommunicates with the bore of the cap, and this slot acts as an outletfor the contents of the tube.

Disposed within the cap is an upturned projection 5 which acts in thecapacity of a bearing for pivotally or rockably receiving the roundedlower end of a valve 6 which is in the form of a block and has a recessarranged at its inner end to accommodate the inner end of asubstantially S-shaped leaf spring 1 that has its outer end engageablewith the valve adjacent its outer end to anchor the valve in its bearingand to urge the valve in closed position as shown in -Figure 1. Theopposite end portion of the leaf spring I engages the inner surface ofthe cap.

The valve is of a width to be disposed across the slot 4 and has itsouter end siidably mounted therein. When the valve has its outer endengageable with the lower end of the slot 4, the cap is closed, but whenpressure is applied to the contents of the tube, the contents willengage the under side of the valve 6 and cause the same to open againstthe tension of the leaf spring 1 as shown in Figure 2. The valve isprovided on its upper surface with a rounded portion 8 and this portionmerges into a flat portion formed with the upper surface of the valve atits outer end to provide a shoulder or seat for the outer end of theleaf spring I.

The cap as shown in Figure 6 is indicated by the reference numeral 9 andis in fact, a discharge nozzle, as it is formed integral with acollapsible tube B, therefore the serrated collar is eliminated, butotherwise the cap and valve structure is similar in construction to thestructure shown in the other figures of the drawing.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages andnovel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the constructionand in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, providedthat such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:--

l. A collapsible tube closure comprising a cap having a substantiallyflattened portion on the outer surface thereof and adapted to be detach-Cir ably secured with respect to a tube, said cap having a square boreand a slot arranged in the substantially flattened portion forcommunication with the bore, a valve mounted for pivotal movement in thebore and having its outer end arranged in the slot for sliding movementand to close the latter, said valve being recessed and provided with a.shoulder, and a leaf spring arranged in the recess and shoulder andbeing engageable with the wall of the bore for urging the valve toclosed position.

2. A collapsible tube closure comprising a nozzle having a slot thereinto provide an outlet, a valve for closing the outlet and having arounded lower end and a shoulder at its upper end, a projection formedon and rising from the inner wall of the nozzle and providing a bearingfor rockably receiving the rounded lower end of the valve, a springengageable with the inner wall of the nozzle and the shoulder of thevalve respectively to anchor the latter in its bearing and to normallyhold the same in closed position.

3. A collapsible tube closure comprising a nozzle having a slot thereinto provide an outlet, a valve for closing the outlet and having arounded lower end and a shoulder at its upper end, a projection formedon and rising from the inner wall of the nozzle and providing a bearingfor rockably receiving the rounded lower end of the valve, asubstantially s-shaped leaf spring engageable with the inner wall of thenozzle and the valve respectively to anchor the latter in its bearing,and said spring having its upper end received in the shoulder of thevalve to normally hold the latter in closed position.

4. In a collapsible dispensing tube having a dispensing neck, aswingable closure member having its inward end rockably mounted on theinterior wall of the dispensing neck, spring means mounted within theneck between and in engagement with the swingable closure member andth'e wall of the neck normally urging said closure member toward closedposition across the neck.

5. In a collapsible dispensing tube having a dispensing neck, a platerockably'mounted on one side of the interior of the neck and swingableacross the neck to close the neck, spring means mounted on and betweenthe said one side of the interior of the neck and the plate and normallyurging the plate toward closed position.

BERT E. MILLS.

